


Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Separation

by Failinhearts



Series: The Disciples Saga [1]
Category: Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cliffhangers, F/F, Metafiction, Mystery, Pre-Rebellion Story, Prequel, Rebellion Story References, Stealth Crossover, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23885962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Failinhearts/pseuds/Failinhearts
Summary: A year has passed since Madoka's final wish, and a mysterious death has caused the Law of Cycles to take unforeseen measures. Now, Homura, Mami and Kyoko must team up with a messenger from the afterlife to set things right.
Relationships: Akemi Homura/Kaname Madoka
Series: The Disciples Saga [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1726861
Comments: 36
Kudos: 31





	1. Stop Recording

_“Don’t forget…”_

_“Always, somewhere… Someone is fighting for you…”_

_“As long as you remember her, you are not alone.”_

__

* * *

ONE YEAR LATER…

Darkness looms over the city of Mitakihara, with only the moon and the stars countering it. All is peaceful… until a pink blur disrupts the silent harmony. Passing by the welcome sign, the flash of pink is followed by a dark streak and the revving of a motorcycle.

“S-Stay away from me!”

A pink arrow fires in retaliation at the figure on the bike, who swiftly dodges with a nonchalant head tilt. Another arrow soars through the empty walkway, hitting the motorcycle. Taking the brief window of time before it detonates, the figure leaps into the sky and out of the impending explosion.

It tumbles to the ground before regaining its footing to see a girl clad in white and pink make her getaway. It wastes no time, picking up speed on foot.

Her long flowing ponytail and coat flap through the cold autumn air, Iroha Tamaki is in for the run of her life. One minute she was fighting Witches, the next minute she is being hunted down by a mysterious helmet-wearing man.

No matter how fast she could run, not even her Magical Girl form could keep him from catching up. Her mind filled with constant questions: Who was he? Where did he come from? How does he know about Magical Girls? Why does he want to kill her?

_CLANG!_

“Kyah!”

Something smashed into the ground, narrowly missing her foot. Iroha instantly turns around, only to see that man getting ever closer even without his vehicle.

Letting out an uncontrollable yelp of bewilderment, the girl looks forward to see a building in front of her. Muttering a silent prayer of hope, Iroha musters all of her strength to jump. She soars into the air and onto the rooftop.

“Haah… hah…” She pants. Dizzily, she topples over onto a radiator to look at her Soul Gem. Blotches of black dance around the warm pink light, no doubt caused by the magic spent to run from her home town to Mitakihara. She digs through her pockets, looking for a Grief Cube…

_CLANG!_

An object so fast, Iroha couldn’t tell what it even is smashes into the radiator. It instantly begins to dissolve into small metallic cubes as she turns around to see the man finish his own jump to the roof!

“Who… are you?!” Iroha desperately shouts. “W-What do you want from me?! Please!”

No response, just another windup for a throw. Iroha knows he won’t speak up, as she continues sprinting. She leaps across the roof to hear another loud clang, landing onto another building with a roll. Turning around, she sees the man jump just as high as her, making him an easy target.

Taking aim with her arm-mounted crossbow, Iroha lets loose several arrow strikes at him. All land bullseye as they pierce his torso and legs. The figure falls in the gap between buildings, not even letting out a single yell.

Iroha would check, but she knows it would be foolish. She dashes across a couple more buildings before sliding down into an alleyway. Letting out a sharp exhale, she detransforms. Her magical attire expels itself to reveal her school uniform as her head rests on the side of a dumpster.

“Eww…” Iroha groans. The smell is less than ideal, but at this point she’ll take anything to rest on. She digs through her pockets, fishing out her Grief Cube at last. Pressing it to her Soul Gem, she makes a mental note to warn her friends about this later.

“Why…? Why was he after me?” She asks herself, not as if she would get any answers. “I just wanna go back to my sister and-“

Iroha finds herself falling backwards, feeling the dumpster almost disappear behind her as she passes through its dissolving form. All her eyes could see is a rain of cubes around her before slamming down onto the concrete.

Blood lightly spills onto the floor as Iroha struggles to stand, noticing the figure stand just outside the alleyway.

“How…?!”

Iroha scrambles to pick her up her fallen Soul Gem, but the same object he holds whizzes past her right arm, cutting it off.

“Gah!”

It bounces off the wall behind her and cuts right through her left arm.

“Aaagh!”

Iroha helplessly watches as her arms dissolve to the point that she couldn’t tell the remains of herself apart from what was once trash.

Her eyes dart back to the slowly approaching figure of death as she pleads.

“Please, d-don’t kill me! I’ll do anything! What do you want, I’ll give it! Just please… let me go! Please!”

She stares into the helmet as he comes into view, her terrified expression reflecting off of it. She couldn’t see anything past it, no face, and no sign of remorse.

Thrusting his weapon forward, he presses it against Iroha’s chest. The poor girl could only let out a choked whimper before breathing her last breath. Her eyes flutter shut as her entire being decomposes into blocks that spill onto the floor.

All that remains of Iroha Tamaki is her glimmering Soul Gem. The figure picks it up and looks to the sky, letting out a garbled command before disappearing in a flash of light.

The alleyway now lies unoccupied, cubes scattering the area as the shadow of a catlike figure approaches.

“…Intriguing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Separation...
> 
> This is the start of an AU where Rebellion, Wraith Arc and Magia Record did not happen. So the depiction of the Law of Cycles and certain characters will differ due to creative liberties, but I still hope you enjoy it nonetheless.


	2. The Holy Trio

_Iroha Tamaki, 14._

The picture of Iroha flows slightly as shoppers rush past the bulletin board displaying an ever-growing list of missing people. It doesn’t stand alone either, surrounded by countless images of teenage girls over the years that have disappeared across Japan.

Sometimes people take a glance and comment on “yet another child abduction” before carrying on, becoming all too accustomed to this grim sight. Besides, they came to Mitakihara Mall to shop, not mourn.

All except one person, who can’t help but stare every time.

“Madoka…”

Violet eyes scan the board before locking onto the new picture.

“…You took another one, didn’t you?” She mutters silently. “I hope she’s at peace.”

She lost track on how many times she said this. Fifty? Sixty? She can’t even tell if this is even a sincere statement at this point. It’s just a mantra now, a tribute perhaps. Whatever the case, it has become routine for Homura Akemi.

Her eyes look to the side, seeing another familiar face almost buried under all the more current losses. While her blue hair is obscured, azure eyes covered and name obscured, her smile is unmistakable…

…Sayaka Miki.

It’s been a year since Sayaka vanished from this world, taken by the Law of Cycles like every other Magical Girl. Her despair washed away by the godly being that used to be her only friend: Madoka Kaname.

Sayaka was annoying, impulsive, reckless and too idealistic for her own good. Yet she was also noble, loyal and loving towards those she cared about. Homura couldn’t lie, things felt almost too quiet without the bluenette… but she couldn’t muster up the will to admit she misses her.

“Oi, Downer Debbie!” A brash, overly loud voice snaps Homura out of her retrospective. “Mami’s waiting, and I do NOT want to eat cold food!”

Homura slowly turns to the other girl. She leans on a pillar with long red hair draping over it, a stick of pocky in her mouth. “I know you wanna pay respects to that Madoka chick and whatever, but do so on your own time, not my own.”

“You could have gone to the food court without me, Kyoko.” Homura replies.

“Well, you gotta eat too. I’m not letting it go to waste because it got too cold for you!” The redhead huffs.

“Who am I to be so picky?”

“Ugh, I’m just looking out for ya. Is a thank you too much to ask?”

Homura pauses for a moment, walking away from the board.

“You’ve certainly changed, Kyoko. You would have never said that a year ago.”

“Yeah well… that was before I met Sayaka, y’know?” Kyoko swallows what remains of her pocky stick, hands in her pockets as she walks. “Can’t believe it’s been a year. Still remember our last fight together like it was yesterday…”

The two talk and reminisce while making their way across the mall. Once they arrive at the bustling food court, Kyoko’s eyes sweep the area, trying to find someone in the crowded midst of rush hour.

“Right, keep an eye out for those crazy drills of hers…”

“Found her.”

Homura points the way, highlighting a girl with blonde yellow hair with an extravagant hairdo consisting of twin drills checking her phone.

“Wha- How do you do that so fast?!” Kyoko exclaims, mouth agape.

Internally, Homura could muster a satisfied smirk. Externally, she channels her usual stoic expression. “Come on.”

A grumbling Kyoko follows Homura to their saved seats.

“There you are, girls.” The blonde smiles warmly. “I kept note on your favorites.”

She gestures at the table where three dishes are laid out for each girl. One is a half-eaten salad, one a hamburger and the other being soup.

“After all these years Mami, you still know me well.” Kyoko grins, immediately beginning to chow down on the burger.

“Some things never change.” Mami Tomoe nods before turning to Homura.

“Thank you, Mami.” Homura simply replies, taking her spoon.

“So I was thinking tonight, we scout out the business district first.” Mami says. “I’ve noticed over the past few days, Wraith activity was a lot more severe there.”

“Ugh, fine.” Kyoko rolls her eyes. “I hate going there. So many rich people givin’ me mean looks. But if it means wiping out as many Wraiths as possible so we go there less, I’m in.”

“I have no objections.” Homura agrees.

A voice then echoes through everyone’s minds.

“I see you three are discussing strategy.”

Everyone’s expression immediately sour as a white cat-like creature hops onto the table.

“Kyubey, what are you doing here? You don’t usually come here unless we call you.” Mami asks, confused.

Kyubey’s tail slowly wags as he looks at Mami. “I sensed another Soul Gem’s disappearance last night.”

“And water’s friggin’ wet. The Law of Cycles-“ Kyoko looks at Homura, who gives her an annoyed look. “Uh, sorry. _Madoka_ ’s just doing her thing again.”

“You did not let me finish.” Kyubey glares at Kyoko with the same, expressionless “smile”.

Kyoko replies by taking another bite out of her burger.

“When the Law of Cycles takes a Magical Girl away, I can feel them slowly fade. The same applies when a Soul Gem shatters; they at least have a couple seconds to expel energy before completely going off my radar. This time however, it completely vanished instantaneously.” Kyubey explains.

“Maybe Madoka got a new union or somethin’ then.” Kyoko shrugs. “Changed her approach.”

Homura shakes her head at Kyoko’s joke. “Who disappeared, Kyubey?”

“Her name is Iroha Tamaki.” Kyubey answers.

“Iroha…” Homura says under her breath.

“Do you know this Iroha, Homura?” Mami then asks.

“Not personally, but I saw her on the missing persons bulletin board today.” Homura says. “I thought she ascended with Madoka.”

“Maybe a Wraith killed her and didn’t leave a body. Or the police didn’t find it yet, does it really matter?” Kyoko sneers.

“A Wraith couldn’t have done this.” Kyubey says as the hatch on his back opens. “I found this in the area she vanished.”

Kyubey then sits upright, letting a flurry of metal cubes spill out onto the table.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. The hell are these?!” Kyoko exclaims as some spill onto her lap. She immediately shakes her legs to get them off.

“All I can deduce is that it’s some sort of metal, but it is unlike anything I have ever seen. It doesn’t match up with anything on your periodic table… or even anything in the universe.” Kyubey concludes. “It appears harmless, at least.”

“Still, whatever caused this should be approached with caution.”

“Or you would have less girls to harvest.” Homura cynically adds.

“Indeed.” Kyubey nods, as if he took no offense to such a response. He then hops off the table and disappears in a flash of light.

“W-Well… um, I’ll see you all tonight, then. We can continue this later.” Mami says. “Take a couple with you, just in case.”

She gestures at the geometrical mess Kyubey created.

Homura scoops up a couple who places it in her schoolbag, followed by a reluctant Kyoko who places a handful in her pockets.

The two bid farewell and part ways for now, with Mami picking up a cube. “What are you…?”

She stares at the reflective surface, seeing her face in the cube…

…As well as another girl behind her.

“Hm?” Mami turns around, to see nobody. Her head snaps back to the cube’s reflection. Also nobody.

“Hello? Little girl?” She calls out.

No response.


	3. Plus One

Sunsets.

For many, it symbolizes a peaceful end to a day. Some would watch the day give way to night; some see it as a romantic gesture.

But for Magical Girls, they see it as a call to action. As the light dies down, the Wraiths rise up.

Walking into the business district, the Mitakihara trio begins their nightly hunt for these creatures. They prey on the innocent’s despair, harm the hopeless and destroy human lives little by little. However, they remain a necessary evil, one that only Witches once provided.

Mami holds her Soul Gem out, leading the pack, exchanging glances with all who take notice of the little glowing egg-like jewel in her palm. Homura remains stoic, focusing on the road ahead while Kyoko has her eyes locked on the road before her.

“See anything?” Mami asks Homura, who shakes her head.

“No, nothing out of the ordinary. Whatever it is Kyubey told us to be cautious of, it is not around here.”

Mami takes a deep breath. Finding Wraiths is one thing, but now she has to look out for some sort of threat with nothing more than a pocket full of cubes as a clue.

“And you, Kyoko?” Mami asks.

“Nothing. Not a single cube on the floor.” Kyoko scowls. “Maybe they just have a grudge against that Iroha chick and won’t come back, I dunno.”

“That’s a risk I can’t take.” Mami tells her former pupil. “I already failed to save Sayaka, and if one day I wake up to see one of you taken from me… I won’t be able to live with myself.”

Kyoko’s face turns into a more somber, understanding state. “Yeah, I getcha. Looks like you haven’t changed much either, then.”

The two girls let out a brief chuckle to ease the tension. Homura could tell the comradery they had years ago has been slowly returning over the past year. Mami, who has spent so much time alone and Kyoko, one who has pushed others away for years being able to mend their flaws together has been nothing short of a god given miracle… A miracle from a god that cannot ever grant her own salvation.

Despite being a team, Homura simply stares at the other two as they begin small talk. All she can witness is just how much of an outcast she is: A girl with knowledge of a timeline that no longer exists, who fought time and time again to save someone who ceases to be. She can’t butt in to crack a joke, share an experience or even sympathize with them.

She could only stand and watch.

“Oh, girls… I think I got something.” Mami alerts them as she holds up her Soul Gem, the radiant yellow hues brightening with every step.

Kyoko cracks her knuckles, pumping herself up. “Alllright, let’s get to work!”

Mami holds out her gem, which give out an explosive flash as the citizens around the Magical Girls fade away. Shifting into another plane of reality almost, the Magical Girls can freely use the city as their battlefield against the Wraiths.

Coming into vision like static on a television, tall white ghosts loom over the girls. They growl and moan, mumbling in a language they cannot understand. The Wraiths inch closer and closer, as the three hold out their gems as one.

“Alright, girls… let’s get to work!” Mami calls out.

“Let’s kick some ass!” Kyoko grins.

“Very well…” Homura replies.

Their gems shine and engulf the three in their respective color, beginning the transformation. Warmth envelops as their streetwear give way for the uniform forming around them, drawing out their supernatural power.

As the light fades, the three come out in their Magical Girl uniforms. Mami adjusts her hat as she spawns her muskets. Kyoko’s red dress flows in the wind as she thrusts her arms forward, materializing her spear.

Lastly, Homura performs a hair flip, her modest outfit on display before creating a sleek black bow.

The Wraiths lunge forward at the trio, screeching demonically as the girls leap in the air to avoid the attack. As the Wraiths bump into each other, Mami holds out her hand.

A bright ribbon forms around them, trapping the Wraiths as Homura follows up with a barrage of arrows. They pierce their ghostly skin, taking damage as the ribbons wear off.

The Wraiths slither forward, reaching out for the other girls.

“Kyoko, now!” Mami exclaims.

A streak of red blazes through the Wraith’s heads, chopping them off before Kyoko lands on the floor. She twirls her spear around with her signature toothy grin. “Who’s next, huh?”

More Wraiths approach the girls, looking much taller than the initial wave. They hold out their hands, nails as sharp as claws as one attacks with a ferocious swipe at Homura.

Homura ducks to avoid the strike, but is left open for a palm strike from the other hand. “Nngh!”

Her heels slide back from the recoil before swatting the third swipe with her bow like a staff. The collision creates a flurry of sparks before pushing the two back.

Homura then aims her bow at the ground, firing as the blast sends Homura into the air. Taking this time airborne to take aim, Homura pulls and fires arrows with an unnatural speed. Dangerous strings of purple strike through the Wraith, reducing it to ashes and a Grief Cube.

When she finally lands, Homura comes face to face with three more Wraiths. “Great…”

Meanwhile, Mami and Kyoko are together, taking on three Wraiths. One roars, their screech crumbling the floor and throwing the girls off balance.

Kyoko stabs her spear through the floor, maintaining her stability before separating them into chained segments, spinning around like a whip. The chain smacks the Wraith in the face before another Wraith grabs the chains, which pulls Kyoko off her feet.

“Whoa!” Kyoko screams before adjusting her momentum to land on the Wraith’s back. She mentally commands the Spear to reassemble before spearing the Wraith into the back. It howls in pain as it leans forward to meet face to face with the barrel of a massive gun.

“Tiro… FINALE!”

Mami’s cannon shoots a large yellow missile at the Wraith, blasting its face wide open and dissipating into dust.

“Thanks for the assist, Mam-“ Kyoko is then blown away by a violet laser from a Wraith’s hand. “NO FAIR!”

“Kyoko!” Mami summons ribbons from the cracks in the ground, grabbing Kyoko by the leg and pulling her away from the laser’s range. As she recovers, Mami faces the remaining two Wraiths, several muskets materializing and hovering around her.

With a skillful pirouette, Mami spins towards the enemies, the muskets letting out a 360 degree barrage. Kyoko spins her spear, reflecting any bullets heading her way back to the Wraiths, riddling them with holes.

The two enemies eventually fade away, only to reveal three more eager Wraiths.

“Guh!”

Mami and Kyoko look to see Homura pushed aside by another Wraith, her clothes scratched with some bloodstains tainting her white fabric.

“Homura, do you need help?” Mami asks.

“Just deal with those other ones…” Homura growls. She jumps and kicks a Wraith’s arm away before shooting it clean off. Just as she does, though, another Wraith ambushes her back to the ground.

“That’s it!” Mami decides, rushing to save Homura, shooting the Wraith off of Homura before getting tackled by Kyoko.

“Wha-Kyoko?” Mami asks. Kyoko stares at Mami, angry. “I just saved your life!”

The two glances behind each other as a Wraith lies on the ground, speared to the ground after an unsuccessful tackle which only barely missed.

“There’s just too many!” Kyoko shouts.

The girls slowly group back together, facing the now six Wraiths approaching them.

“Alright, here is the plan.” Homura says. “Mami, use your ribbons to hold three of these back. Kyoko and I will kill the other ones.”

“About time you wanna team up.” Kyoko replies.

Mami nods with a hum of acknowledgement. “Mhm!”

She summons hundreds of ribbons, wrapping around three of the approaching Wraiths and pinning them to the ground, concentrating on keeping those binds strong than attacking.

Homura and Kyoko then prepare their weapons before seeing something float by…

…Bubbles.

“Wha…?” Kyoko squints.

The bubbles fly into the Wraiths, exploding like bombs, sending them flying into the air.

“Now!” A voice calls out.

Unsure who is even saying that, Homura sets that thought aside and takes aim, shooting arrows at the airborne Wraiths and blasting them into submission.

Kyoko then takes this time to run over to Mami’s side, jumping up and spearing the defenseless Wraiths in the face, her hands becoming a blur as she reduces them into a bloody mess. “Take this, and that, and this, and that, and raaaaaaagh!”

Eventually, the battlefield is clear as all that remains of the Wraiths are a group of Grief Cubes. The trio catches their breath, their magical outfits giving way for their streetwear.

“Who… was that? Y’know, with the bubbles?” Kyoko asks as the citizens fade back into view, the girls returning to the normal world.

“That um… w-would be me.” The mysterious voice calls out, revealing a small girl with long silver hair.

“You…” Mami says, mouth agape.

“You…?” Kyoko asks.

“I saw her earlier today… at the mall.” The blonde replies.

The small girl bows in respect. “My name is Nagisa, Nagisa Momoe. I come from the Law of Cycles.”

“…You _what?_ ” Homura’s head snaps to glare at Nagisa, her eyes wide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nagisa has arrived onto the scene!


	4. Aid From An Angel

The little girl known as Nagisa steps back at Homura’s sudden change of tone, slightly shaking. “U-Um… yeah. You heard me right… I’m from the Law of Cycles.”

“Hah! Yeah, right. Look kid, we may live in a world of magic but some things aren’t possible.” Kyoko shakes her head, not buying it.

Mami walks forward, siding with Kyoko. “I agree. There has never been a case of a girl who spirited way reappearing, why would it happen now?”

“There’s a first for everything, Mami…” Nagisa looks up at the blonde, catching her off guard.

“H-How do you know my name?” Mami gasps.

Homura observes the conversation in bewilderment, mouth agape. Eventually, she musters up the courage to ask the one question to prove Nagisa’s legitimacy.

“Does the Law of Cycles have a name… when it was once human?”

Nagisa turns to Homura, and gives a single nod. “Of course. Madoka Kaname.”

An inhuman silence fills the streets, despite the crowds of people rushing to work.

“No way.” Kyoko finally speaks out. “You mean all that Madoka shit you yammer on about is true, Homura?! You came from…”

“…A timeline before the Law of Cycles? Yes.” Nagisa replies. “Homura actually played a hand in creating the Law of Cycles.”

“That’s… that’s crazy.” Mami exhales. “To think you’re responsible for our salvation.”

“A credit I’m not proud of.” Homura mutters with closed eyes. She then looks back at Nagisa. “Why are you here? H-How are you here?!”

“Look, um, Madoka has the power to bring one Magical Girl back to the mortal world at a time.” Nagisa explains.

Mami folds her arms. “So you’re basically like an angel?”

“Y-Yeah, exactly!” Nagisa perks up, pointing at Mami.

Kyoko furrows her eyebrows a bit before a thought hits her. “Wait a minute! Does that mean… Sayaka could come back?!” Her eyes practically flare with a renewed sense of hope…

…A hope that is easily snuffed out.

“Trust me… if Sayaka were still here, she would be the one in my place.” Nagisa winces.

Kyoko pauses for a moment. “Wait… what?”

“One year ago… a vortex took Sayaka away from us. Somehow, something was able to reach into our afterlife and take her away.” Nagisa reveals, her eyes full of remorse. “Madoka couldn’t understand how it happened or where it took her.”

“B-But Madoka is… a god.” Homura says. “How could she not-“

“I-I don’t know. It’s like Sayaka was… was erased! Madoka couldn’t find her anywhere!” Nagisa exclaims.

Mami cups her mouth with her hands. “No… Sayaka…”

“Dammit!” Kyoko growls, slamming her fist on a railing. “When can this idiot finally catch a break?!”

Homura stares at the ground in the meantime, struggling to let everything sink in. Madoka could’ve sent a messenger? Why now of all times?

Not when she needed someone to comfort her on those lonely nights? Those days when she couldn’t connect with anyone? The days where she craved Madoka’s kindness more than anything?

Could it be that she was focused on finding Sayaka? Why?

_That idiot did nothing but put her in harm’s way…_

Her eyes shut tight, trying to not let anger get the best of her. All she could mutter before coming back to her Earth was a simple “good riddance”, luckily softly enough to not catch the offense of the other girls.

Silence lingers over the group again, giving each girl the time to let everything register. Eventually, Mami chooses to speak up.

“W-Well…” Mami begins to dig into her pocket, getting out one of those metal cubes Kyubey provided. “Nagisa, was it?”

She hands one over to the “angel”.

“It’s um… it’s a long shot, but do you think these mysterious cubes could have something to do with Sayaka’s disappearance?”

“Yeah.” Nagisa replies. “That was why I was sent to find you all, you have leads to discover if the disappearance of Iroha is related to Sayaka’s.”

“Wouldn’t Madoka see what happened, though? She’s a god.” Kyoko points out.

Nagisa shakes her head. “Not this time… Whatever happened was a result of a tem…tempo… spatu… ano… ano…malie?”

The small girl fumbles on her own words, struggling to pronounce it.

“Temporal spatial anomaly?” Homura asks.

“Yeah! That!” Nagisa hops. “A rip in space and time, or something. It completely blinded Madoka for a second!”

“Did the same cubes show up when Sayaka disappeared in your world?” Mami then asks, holding up a handful more.

“Nu-uh. But Madoka couldn’t help but think maybe they’re connected.” Nagisa paces back and forth, trying to think.

Kyoko lets out a brief sigh. “Well, if it’s also a vortex, or a portal or whatever… think maybe instead of pulling that Iroha chick in, maybe something came out and killed her?”

“That’s the only way it makes sense.” Homura concludes before looking at Nagisa. “Do you think so?”

“Yeah! Maybe! I’ll trust you on that! Madoka did say you were super smart!” Nagisa beams.

Homura couldn’t help but slightly blush at that statement. “R-Really…?”

“Look at you, getting complimented by a god! You should put that on your resume!” Kyoko grins, leaning towards the brunette.

Homura swiftly pushes Kyoko away. “Get off me.”

She shifts attention back to Nagisa. “Well… if this is Madoka’s mission, it’s mine too. I’ll find this culprit.”

“Count me in too, maybe it’ll get me a mansion or something when I eventually kick the bucket.” Kyoko nods.

“As will I.” Mami nods, smiling at Nagisa.

Nagisa grins excitedly. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Mami gestures the girls to follow her back to her apartment. She takes Nagisa’s hands as the girl skips across the sidewalk.

As they move back, Homura could only look at the sky.

“Madoka… if she came here… why couldn’t you?”

* * *

Little do the girls know however, that someone is watching. Their trek home plays on a screen, Nagisa’s smiling face on display.

“They’re all together.” A voice grumbles, fingers drumming on a desk. They reach out for a capsule that is hooked up to several wires. Glowing eyes watch a black orb floating in the chamber with a piece of tape over the glass:

_IROHA TAMAKI: SUBJECT 02_

Gleefully, they shake the capsule to watch the Grief Seed circle inside before laying it back down. “All the pieces are in play. Let the hunt begin.”

Another figure nods at the command, standing behind them. They turn to look at a much larger capsule, the wires from the Grief Seed ending inside it.

“The yellow and red one, they’re unnecessary. Kill them if you must. But do not kill the other two… not yet.”

_“It will be done.”_


	5. Division

“Mmm! Mami, this is delicious!”

Nagisa nearly cries while eating a piece of cheesecake, paying no attention to the crumbs falling on the carpet of Mami’s apartment. She eats from a petite plate, next to it is a pile of the cubes Kyubey provided with sticky notes all over them, suggesting a variety of places to investigate.

Mami giggles. “I’ve never seen anyone enjoy my cheesecake this much before, not even Kyoko.”

“Is that a challenge?” Kyoko nudges the veteran Magical Girl.

“I haven’t had cheese in soooo long!” Nagisa smiles with a full mouth. “I’ve never had food, period!”

Kyoko’s head snaps to Nagisa’s direction. “The hell? No food?!”

Nagisa takes another bite, stuffing her face. She nods before finally swallowing. “Mhm… Yeah, there’s no food, no water, no sleep in the Law of Cycles.”

“Oh wow, the afterlife sucks.” Kyoko groans. “I thought I can eat and sleep without a care in the world. There goes that dream.”

Nagisa shrugs. “It’s not that bad, I mean… It’s peaceful, and very cloudy. Lots of Magical Girls to talk to.”

“I think that’s very nice. I assume you met Sayaka there, then?” Mami asks.

Nagisa nods. “Yup! Madoka introduced me to her so we could make up for some…”

She stares at Mami, fixated on her head. “…Things I’ve done.” She clears her throat. “But we became good friends!”

Kyoko lets out a brief exhale.

“How was Sayaka, y’know on the other side? Last time I saw her, she was really hung up over… well, a lot of stuff, really. The Soul Gem crap, that boy he liked, went on and on about being a different kinda Magical Girl…”

She slouches in her seat, her mood darkening.

“…Just hope she was at peace, y’know?”

Nagisa takes another slice of cake and places it on her plate. “She… She was. But at the same time, Sayaka was kinda sad?”

“So was she or was she not?” Homura asks. “You are sending mixed signals, Nagisa.”

“I-I mean she was sad about something else!” Nagisa clarifies, flailing her arms in a panic. “She felt like… she could’ve done more as a um, an ally of justice or something.”

“Even in death, she still wanted to be a hero, huh…” Kyoko sighs. “Stubborn as always…”

“I admired that.” She mutters silently, trying to not catch the attention of anyone.

“So she never learned.” Homura huffs.

“What’cha just say?” Kyoko growls.

Homura softly claps her hands, speaking up to change the subject. “Why couldn’t Madoka be here, instead? If she could send other girls back, why not herself?”

Nagisa pauses, wide-eyed for a moment. “Well, we existed… Madoka doesn’t, you know? As long as she’s the Law of Cycles, she’s just… not real? Except is?”

“You mean she’s a concept.” Mami helps out. “The other Magical Girls are at least lost souls that could be restored, at least for a while. Madoka is a different case.”

Homura grinds her teeth. “That’s… unfair!”

“Life ain’t fair, chick. Get used to it.” Kyoko shakes her head. “It ain’t getting any better than this.”

Homura shoots out a venomous glare at Kyoko. “Shut. Up. You have no idea what I went through for her, only for Madoka to end up like this.”

“Oh, you’re telling _me_ to shut up, huh?” Kyoko sneers slamming her hand onto the table. “Y’know, I hate whenever you act all holier than thou like this. Just because you were besties with God doesn’t mean you have to leave us in the dust! We have issues too, you know!”

“P-Please! Don’t fight…!” Nagisa desperately pleas, she holds her hands out to deescalate the situation.

“Let’s go back to the plan, girls! Back to the plan!” Mami exclaims.

This does not help as Kyoko and Homura continue bickering, letting out their pent up grievances towards one another.

“Madoka left behind her family, her friends to save you! Nobody remembers her… can you imagine how painful that must be?”

“At least they’re still alive! It was because of me that everyone I loved is six feet under! I’d like to say Madoka’s living the high life now!”

_Beep…_

“This is anything but your so-called high life. Madoka kept dying, and dying, and the only salvation for her was to end her existence!”

_Beep…!_

“Geez, I never heard that one before! Why not tell me what you think about Sayaka for the umpteenth time too, what don’t ya?”

_Beepbeepbeep…!_

“Oh, it would be my pleasure. She was stubborn!”

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep…!_

“Idiotic!”

_BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP!_

“Naïve!”

_BEEEEEP!_

“She deserved to die!”

Kyoko instinctively transforms, standing up with blazing fury. “Oh, it’s on now, bitch!”

Before she could do more however, the window of Mami’s apartment blows up, glass shattering everywhere.

As the explosion dies down, debris clearing out, all four girls stand in their Magical Girl outfits.

“What… was that?!” Kyoko shouts.

Homura could only scowl at Kyoko, still seething with an unbridled rage she never thought she had before looking downwards. She spots one of the cubes on the floor, flashing.

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

“We’ve been tracked.”

_Thud!_

A dark figure lands on the floor, wearing only black with neon lining being the only thing illuminating his body. The cubes slowly move, tumbling across the floor and coming together, morphing into a gun that he picks up.

“Who the hell are you?” Kyoko asks.

“Your liberator.” The figure states.

“Well, hi, Liberator.” Kyoko draws her spear. “The name’s Kyoko.”

“He must be responsible for Iroha…!” Mami cocks her musket.

The “Liberator” aims his gun at Mami’s hat, her Soul Gem in his scope. He pulls the trigger and fires a bullet, it passes through Mami as she explodes into a pile of ribbons.

The Liberator steps back staring at the ribbons. Before he could calculate that this was a diversion, Mami smacks him with the handle of her musket from the side, smashing his helmet. Parts shatter into cubes, with nothing underneath the mask but a pile of reconstructing polygons.

“What…?!”

The Liberator then swipes at Mami, trying to grab her neck but Homura follows up with an arrow strike. The Liberator hastily dodges the attack but loses his sight on Mami. He lunges forward, kicking Homura into the wall and reaching out for Nagisa.

“Eep!” The little girl shouts, grabbing her plate and using it as a shield. The Liberator grabs something from his back and slashes with the weapon, destroying the plate and dissolving it.

Panicking, Nagisa kicks the Liberator away before she could suffer the same fate of the fine china. A spear chain wraps around his neck, strangling the killer and snapping his head off.

“Out you go!” Kyoko grins as his head flies in the air. But to Kyoko’s surprise, the Liberator simply grabs his head from the air and smashes it against Kyoko’s head. Kyoko is knocked into a drawer with a flurry of cubes as she is disarmed by the approaching Liberator with his reconstructing head.

It stomps onto Kyoko’s leg, breaking her bones despite her enhanced strength. “Gkh!”

He raises his circular weapon, ready to strike at Kyoko before suddenly rising in the sky, suddenly in a bubble.

“Q-Quick! Before he breaks out!” Nagisa shouts. Mami rushes over to grab Kyoko, looking at Nagisa. “Where do we go?”

“Out the window!” Nagisa shouts, jumping out of it and seemingly falling down the building.

“Nagisa, wait!” Mami reaches out, peering down at the massive hole in her apartment. “Where did she go?!”

“RAAAAAWR!”

Suddenly a black worm-like creature rises up. “GRAB ON!” It shouts, with a distorted voice that is just recognizable enough for the other girls.

“Nagisa…?!” Homura shouts. “You turned into a Witch?!”

“That’s a Witch?!” Kyoko exclaims.

“NO TIME! RIDE NOW!” Nagisa, now Charlotte shouts.

With no time to think, Homura and Mami jump onto Charlotte’s spotted back as Mami lays Kyoko down to heal. The Witch then soars off into the sky, evading the Liberator as he finally breaks out of the bubble.

“…Sir. They escaped.” He reports, his lights flickering.

_“Do not engage. Stay in this city and wait. They will return, and when they do… take a more persuasive approach.”_

“Understood.”


	6. United

“These cubes… they were tracking us.” Homura states, her hair flowing in the wind as the three girls fly through the skies on Nagisa’s Witch form.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Kyoko says. “Like, I dunno, why they were trackin’ us?”

Homura looks up to the sky, then back down at Nagisa. “It’s what you may call a reach… but what if it’s because of me and Nagisa? We’re the only ones who know Madoka exists. It might have something to do with her.”

“Theeeere you go again, we were just minutes of being sliced and diced into little cubes and you still find a way to make it about Madoka.” Kyoko rolls her eyes. “It’s not like that Iroha chick knew about her, right?”

Mami looks back at Homura. “I agree with Kyoko, you’re making some rather unsupported conclusions Homura… No offense.”

“He’s not even chasing us down anymore, and he saw us fly off!” Kyoko then adds. “Maybe he just wants to kill whatever Magical Girl his cubes track down, right?”

Mami’s eyes peer downwards, looking at the rooftops below. “That seems correct.”

Sure enough, no sign of this “Liberator” leaping through rooftops to give chase. Maybe they were just in the wrong place in the wrong time. “We should spend this time thinking of a counterattack, before he could endanger any more Magical Girls.”

“And most importantly, save our own hides! Luckily, seems like we got a secret weapon riiiight here!” Kyoko pats on Charlotte’s furry surface.

“THAT TICKLES!” The Witch laughs.

“Yes, yes. Of course. Nagisa’s Witch can give us a leg up! Could… Could we be able to do that too?” Mami asks.

“LAW OF CYCLES GIRLS ONLY.” Nagisa tells them.

“Suddenly, I feel a strong desire to die young.” Kyoko folds her arms, imagining her own Witch. “This must be what Dad talked about… with what waits in Heaven and whatnot.”

“…Huh… Yeah…”

Kyoko’s eyebrows scrunch up, thinking to herself. All the while, Homura continues to stare out into the horizons, frustrated.

 _“Of course they won’t trust me. They never did all those timelines ago.”_ She thinks. _“I know what I have to do.”_

_“Even if it means doing it alone.”_

Homura stands up, gripping her bow.

“Homura, what are you-“ Mami reaches out before getting a swat to her arm and a deadpan response by Homura:

“Don’t follow me.”

With that final order, Homura leaps off Charlotte’s back, falling to the city below.

“Homura, n-no!” Mami reaches out, casting her ribbons to catch the girl in the middle of her freefall. However, it is too late as the ribbons reel up to reveal nothing. “Why’d she go off on her own…? She’ll get herself killed!”

Mami sits on her knees, discouraged and breathless.

“…Then we go after her.”

Mami turns to Kyoko. “Huh?”

Kyoko sits there, her legs crossed as if she was meditating. Her eyes open, revealing a commanding, righteous aura that Mami hasn’t seen in a long, long time.

“Look, as much crap as I gave her… and as much of an ass she is to Sayaka, Homura’s y’know… she is responsible for savin’ all of us.” Kyoko explains. “Ain’t that right, Nagisa? All of that time travel stuff is what made Madoka who she is now?”

“…YES.” Charlotte replies.

Kyoko’s hand makes a small gesture and smirks. “Exactly. Cause of her, I can believe in a salvation like the one I wanted my Dad to spread to the world.”

“That’s quite a sudden change of heart, you know that Kyoko?” Mami says back with a playful smile.

“Yup, well… what else is new?” Kyoko stretches. “Sayaka did the same for me… and this is the kinda shit she’d do for us.”

“Besides, maybe this’ll finally get Debbie Downer to stop moping about being alone all the time.”

Letting out brief exhale through the nose, Mami summons her muskets and twirls them. “You’re right. Homura’s our friend, even if she won’t admit it. As Magical Girls… this is something I feel like we have to do.”

“Yeah. Somethin’ about this feels right.” Kyoko nods.

The two look down at the city below. “Alright, Nagisa. Let’s ride.”

Wordlessly, Charlotte dips down to begin her descent in order to save Homura.

* * *

Back at Mami’s apartment, The Liberator stands atop the complex’s roof. His helmet-clad head scans the area around him before stopping at the distant image of Homura staring him down.

The Liberator leaps up into the air and lands next to Homura as the girl backflips and gets into a fighting stance. However, The Liberator simply stares at her.

“…So, it looks like you’re not here to kill me.” Homura says.

No response.

“I know you can speak. Why are you here?”

No response again.

“You better answer.”

“You’re looking for Madoka Kaname, aren’t you?” He finally responds.

“W-What?” Homura gasps.

“I know how you can see her again.” The Liberator continues.

Homura takes a step back. “That’s… i-impossible! You can’t just do that! You’re… I don’t even know what you are.”

“There is so much you don’t know, Homura Akemi.” The Liberator steps forward, looking into her eyes. “So much beyond your feeble understanding of how your universe works, and what your future held.”

“That is why you were such a failure at saving her… just like how all Magical Girls are failures.”

“W-Why you…!” Homura grits her teeth as the Liberator stabs further into her own insecurities. Before she could draw forth her bow, the Liberator looks up to see a giant worm-like creature coming right for him.

“I’ll ensure your true fates come to light.” He says, materializing his motorcycle and jumping on it. With a single rev of the engine, it drives into position and jumps off the rooftop to land on another and speeds away.

Homura crouches down for a jump before the clacking of boots falling onto the concrete floor cues her to turn around. Sure enough, Kyoko, Mami and Nagisa are standing together.

“I told you not to follow me.” Homura says back. “You wanted to be safe, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, well, you know what they say… all for one, and one for all right?” Kyoko flashes her toothy grin at Homura while holding her spear above her head. “I’m not losing you the same way I lost Sayaka, even if you are a pain in the ass.”

“Then don’t slow me down.” Homura answers, her grim expression slowly dissipating before jumping off.

The four jump from rooftop to rooftop, chasing after The Liberator.

“How… does someone do all that with a motorcycle?!” Nagisa gasps, noticing how he flawlessly makes these impossible jumps across buildings.

“The word someone implies he’s even a person… something I doubt he even is. He’s like some kind of machine.” Mami comments as she runs.

“Machine or not, he claims he has the way for me to see Madoka again.” Homura explains.

“Oh, that doesn’t sound like a trap at all!” Kyoko chips in, jumping across a large gap with her spear like a pole vault.

“Which is why we need to be extra cautious. Madoka could be in danger, and that’s all the motive I need.” Homura advises much to Kyoko’s dismay.

“Oookay, but you’re buying me an extra-large lunch for us if we get outta this alive.” Kyoko demands.

“Sounds like a plan.” Homura brushes off non-chalantly.

Eventually, the two screech to a halt as they come face to face with The Liberator who stands in front of them… with a glowing portal behind them.

“What’s… going on?” Mami asks, taking the Soul Gem from her hat to see it pulse brightly. “This only happens if a Wraith’s nearby!”

“Or… if a Witch’s Labyrinth is close.” Nagisa explains, pointing at the portal.

The Liberator turns around and drives into it, entering the mysterious gateway.

“So that’s a Labyrinth?” Kyoko asks. “Geez, this guy’s got everything… It gets on my nerves.”

The four all look at one another, silently confirming their determination with a nod and a hum of agreement.

They turn back into the Labyrinth… and step inside.


	7. Hope Runs Out

“I’ve… never seen anything like this.” Mami comments as the four venture through the Witch Labyrinth. It appears to be a dark cavern, only illuminated by glowing purple crystals protruding from the ground. The only sounds that can be heard are the girls’ footsteps and sometimes the occasional growl echoing out into the distance.

“That must be the Witch… but there’s no Familiars.” Homura says. “Witches usually have backup in the form of small minions… but I can’t sense a single one.”

“I don’t get it, though… why is a Labyrinth here? The Law of Cycles stops Witches from happening, right?” Nagisa asks. She leans on a crystal as it starts emitting electricity, shocking her.

“O-Ow!” The shock jolts through her entire body, ridding Nagisa of color for a brief second before being restored. In that small window of time, all that can be seen of Nagisa is black outlines defining her features over nothing but white.

“Whoa, Nagisa! You look like… some kinda sketch for a second!” Kyoko comments, pointing at her.

Nagisa stares at her hands. “Whoa… weird…”

“I think this is weirder…” Mami then comments, pointing above them.

A crystal stalagmite is seen hanging, with the body of Kyubey impaled on it. He too looks like a mere drawing, all color flushed from his already white corpse.

“There’s more…” Homura says, pointing at another crystal on the ground complete with a Kyubey speared through the head.

Homura moves her finger to another crystal with a decapitated Kyubey head having his spine draped over it.

“It seems Kyubey beat us to this place… unsuccessfully.” Homura concludes. “But it seems like he never went far enough to get answers.”

The team carefully move forward, passing by Kyubey corpse after Kyubey corpse. All the while, the growling gets louder and louder until the cavern gives way to a large crater. Crystals border around the makeshift arena as a large scaly lump stays curled up in a slumber.

“That’s a Witch, then?” Kyoko whispers.

“It doesn’t look like any Witch I’ve ever seen…” Nagisa says. “Something feels… wrong. It just looks like a dragon!”

“Yes, Witches appear a lot more abstract.” Homura states. “This can’t be right.”

_THUD!_

Suddenly, falling from the ground is the Liberator. He stares at the girls. “So you’ve arrived.”

“You think we wouldn’t? Going through this cave is as easy as a leisurely stroll through the park!” Kyoko calls out.

“But will you get out?” The Liberator jumps away as the Witch opens its eyes. The growling increases in volume as massive crystalline wings sprout forth.

“Grrrrr….!” The dragon grits its fangs as it stares at the girls and emits a mighty roar.

“Raaaaaaaaagh!”

“Unorthodox or not, we have to take it down!” Homura summons her bow. “Or else Madoka is in danger…!”

“For the Law of Cycles!” Nagisa shouts, holding her trumpet high.

The dragon proceeds to shoot crystal spikes from its wings, catapulting them at the quartet.

“Ngh!” Mami’s arm gets stabbed by a spike, her arm draining of color before she pulls it out and restoring her appearance.

In retaliation, she whips out her muskets and fires sparking bullets at the dragon and shattering some of the dragon’s projectiles.

Kyoko meanwhile leaps over the Witch’s tail, then stabbing into its scaly body with the tip of her spear. She then grabs the protruding end of the spear and separates them into chains.

“Hyaaah!”

Using all of her enhanced strength, she stabs the blunt end through fast enough to pierce the skin as well. Black blood spews out from the Witch as the dragon raises its head and roars in pain.

He lowers his head to Homura, unleashing a burst of purple flames at Homura. Instinctively, Homura raises her hand to guard with her shield…

…Only to remember she doesn’t have it anymore.

“Ah…!”

“GET BACK!”

Nagisa suddenly crashes in front of Homura as Charlotte, her long body acting as a meat shield to block the fire. “OWWW! ATTACK…!”

Homura flips over to escape the fire’s range, pulling her bow and firing an arrow at the dragon’s eye, finally ending the hellfire being inflicted on Nagisa.

“Grrraowww!” It winces.

“Mami! It’s pinned!” Kyoko shouts out, pushing the spear further into the dragon’s tail, piercing the ground to keep it in place before jumping out of the way.

As the Witch claws at its eye, Mami gives an affirming nod. She reaches for the bow above her chest, pulling it out as it extends into a massive ribbon. She whips it at the Witch’s neck and wraps around it. Mami then steps on the other end, the magic of the ribbon giving the impact enough strength to knock the dragon’s head to the ground with a massive slam.

“Raaagh…” The dragon slowly opens its good eye to come face to face with a massive cannon, helmed by a smirking Mami.

“Tiro…”

“GRRRAH?!”

“…FINALE!”

_KABLAM!_

A massive streak of yellow engulfs the body of the Witch, with only the silhouette of its burning skin seen as the strike concludes.

“Yeaah! That was easy!” Kyoko cheers.

She raises her hand for a high-five, turning to each of the girls. “Hey, come on! Don’t leave me… hanging?”

Each girl stares ahead of Kyoko with widening eyes. The redhead slowly turns around, only to see the remaining skin of the Witch flicker away before dissolving into cubes. The cubes scatter on the floor as the image becomes clear that this Witch… this dragon is not a product of magic.

Rather, a creation of science as a robotic endoskeleton adorned with a symbol of a segmented circle with demonic wings rises from the geometrical ashes.

A voice can be heard from a speaker located in the head, which the girls could tell has been a cockpit the whole time. A cold, calculating voice with a layer of malice dripping from every word calls out to them.

“Well done, well done…” The voice congratulates. “Now, tell me… are you ready for round 2?”

Homura stares down at her Soul Gem, which has blackened quite a bit overtime before snapping back to the “dragon”.

The chest of the robot opens up, revealing the Liberator yet again as it activates his disc-like weapons.

“End the red and yellow ones, Rinzler.” The voice demands. “The other two are mine.”

“Affirmative, master.” _Rinzler_ nods as his discs glow a bright orange.

“What are you…?!” Homura manages to gasp out.

“Who am I, child?” The voice chuckles. “That won’t be important. The real question is… do you know who you are? Who you were written to be?!”

“Written…?” Homura asks back, gripping onto her bow slightly.

“It took me quite a while, luring and killing that girl to get your attention… even longer to use her Soul Gem to construct this Labyrinth. But it will all be worth it.” He cryptically states. “Now that both of you are here…”

Nagisa’s eyebrows furrow. “Y-Yeah?! Well… whatever you want won’t happen!”

“Oh, it would’ve been bound to happen one way or another!”

The endoskeleton monstrosity raises his clawed hands, swiping at the girls who swiftly dodge the attack. Before they could react further, however, Rinzler’s motorcycle drives in to smash Homura in the face. Homura’s head reels back in recoil as a tentacle from the ribcage wraps around her.

“Get… off…!” Homura musters all of her strength to break free from the tentacle and fires back at the machine.

The arrow burns chunks of the cockpit away, but not enough to cause the dragon to cease action.

Meanwhile, Mami and Kyoko are facing off against Rinzler. Kyoko’s spear smashes against his disc as the two stay at a stalemate.

“Stay down, you son of a bitch!” Kyoko shouts.

“Not until you fulfill your purpose.” Rinzler responds before raising up a second disc with his free hand. “Die, like all Magical Girls will!”

_BANG!_

A bullet whizzes through his helmet as it creates a hole through Rinzler. However, that does nothing as he changes focus, back flipping towards Mami and kicking her away.

“You think you have a merciful god, do you?” Rinzler scolds, aiming at Mami. “She is nothing compared to your creator.”

“He has sent you down a path to damnation, and we will expose his cruelty.”

“Why don’t you just shut up?!” Kyoko stabs Rinzler through the chest as her spear protrudes through him.

Weakly and drained of energy, Rinzler dissolves into cubes before reforming behind them all.

Inside of the dragon, Homura could make out another, more nasally voice on the other end.

_“Sir, Rinzler’s energy levels are low. Shall he retreat?”_

“Recall Rinzler. I can handle all four myself!”

Below the power core, a hole opens up as it starts to suck in Rinzler cube by cube. As it does, Nagisa aims her trumpet at the open compartment and shoots a barrage of bubbles into there.

“Quick, shoot it!”

Homura nods hastily and aims her arrow at the hole. “Just… die already!”

The arrow skyrockets through the bubbles, powering both up, glowing with magic before entering the machine.

“Fire in the hole!” Kyoko shouts, holding her hands together and creating a chain of red interlocking symbols to act as a force field around them.

With an ear-deafening explosion, the shield shatters as the girls tumble to the ground.

“Unnh…” Homura groans, her eyes fluttering open as she turns around to see the sight of a massive flame in the middle of the Labyrinth.

“Did… Did we do-UCKH!” Nagisa gags as a tentacle wraps around her neck.

* * *

**MUSIC: _YOUR CREATORS WANT YOU BACK – TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION_**

* * *

“Nag…” Suddenly, another tentacle wraps around Homura as it pulls her upwards. Mami and Kyoko weakly reach out to them.

“N-No…! Agh!” Mami clutches her head, her Soul Gem close to its limit. Kyoko crawls, fruitlessly trying to catch them.

“Don’t think I forgot about you, too!” The voice calls out as crystals fly towards them.

_SHING!_

The two girls are pinned in place, crystals piercing Mami’s neck and Kyoko’s chest, just missing their Soul Gems.

All they could do is gag and vomit out blood, still alive… but unable to move.

“Mami… Kyoko…” Homura manages to mutter out before feeling something pull her hand. “Aaah!”

Homura’s hand holding her Soul Gem finds itself placed into a tube coming from the dragon’s back. The cockpit head stares at Homura desperately squirming to no avail.

“Why do you try to flee, child?” He chuckles. “Rinzler did not lie to you… You will see your precious Madoka again!”

“W-Wha…”

The dragon then turns to Nagisa, whose Soul Gem on her waist is obscured with a tube latching onto her.

“Your so-called goddess fell for our arrival, sending the link between her world and yours.” He explains. “She’ll open the gates.”

The head returns to Homura. “And you’ll do the real magic!”

The tail of the dragon raises itself, extending to the sky to reveal a crystalline orb at the tip. It starts to glow white as Nagisa is drained of color.

“O-Ow! Aggggh!” She squeals.

“Come to me, Madoka Kaname! Help me bring this war to an end!”

The orb unleashes a burst of light as a hole emerges from above, crackling with electricity and purple flames. Homura could not believe her eyes… she fell right into a trap beyond her wildest dreams.

All sealed with a bloodcurdling shriek of pain. Not by Nagisa, not by Mami, not by Kyoko…

But a scream she heard way too many times to count…

…Madoka’s.

“Aaaaah!”

Coming through the portal slowly, the once heavenly image of a regal goddess descends upon the Labyrinth. Her body writhes in pain in an attempt to escape the almost tractor-beam like qualities of the orb.

“It hurts…! Please…! Stop! Agh!”

“M-Madoka…!” Homura cries out with tears in her eyes. Her emotions bubble with conflict, in immense pain of seeing her suffer, but a sense of disbelief to just see her again. “Madokaaaaa!!!”

“Yes, she’s here!” The voice laughs devilishly. “It actually worked!”

“S-Stop it! Let her go!!” Homura demands, squirming more than ever.

“Oh, I will… Just you wait.”

Madoka eventually gets inside the orb as it opens up, sealing the divine concept inside. “How…?! Agh! Ahhh!”

The dragon then moves the tail so Madoka is face to face with Homura.

“Homura… I…”

“Madoka… Madoka…!”

“Look at you, best friends united.” The voice says to the two of them. “Bound by fate… no, bound by theme. Bound by plot! Yes, the two stars of the story. The yin to the yang. The god… and the devil.”

“Devil…?” Homura mutters.

“Devil, devil, indeed. Your Writer had different plans for you, Akemi. Plans that will backfire on him soon enough. For you see, your devotion to this pathetic excuse for a deity is so strong… it can split her.” The voice explains with a dark chuckle. “This is your purpose, your future.”

“So… let’s fulfill it! Oh, you can say… **I was waiting for this moment**!”

With a flip of the switch, Homura could feel her Soul Gem pulse with energy, sending electric shocks of pain through her as color saps away from her skin. “Grraaaaaaah! M-Ma… Mado… gaaaah!”

“H-Homura…! NO! Kyaaaaaah!” Lightning covers Madoka’s body, each strike changing her appearance. Her hair shrinks, her dress tears apart to reveal her old school uniform. Madoka attempts to muster every bit of her power to stay as one…

…But with a final shriek from the two of them, Madoka bursts out of the orb, looking no different than the first day Homura met her. She slowly descends to the ground with a thwack, tumbling onto the dirty cave floor with no sign of consciousness.

The dragon then disposes of Homura, throwing her also unconscious body on the ground as his power core pulses with pink energy.

 _“ULTIMATE TRANSFER COMPLETE. LAW OF CYCLES: SEALED.”_ An automated voice declares.

“Send the Droids in, collect the Soul Gems and get rid of the bodies.” The voice then orders as the dragon turns around.

That is until his associate once again speaks up…

_“Uh… sir… you might want to send Rinzler out again…”_

“What now?!”

_“L-Look down…”_

The dragon turns to see something that wasn’t there before lodged into the tail…

…A sword. An all too familiar one with a black handle and gold trim. The blade is coated in both black and grey metal with a glowing blue core, beeping like a bomb.

_Beep… Beep… Beep…_

“Battle positions! Call for reinforcements!” The voice calls out. “They’ve found us!”

A shadow gets closer and closer as a figure dressed in a dirty grey and white jacket steps in, her cape flowing in the wind. She removes her helmet, letting it drop to the floor as she stares down the dragon.

“No… I’m too late!”

“That you are!” The voice taunts her. “And now I’m going to put you where you finally belong…”

“… _Sayaka Miki!_ ”

Sayaka summons two swords in her hands, twirling them around. “Not gonna happen, Mephiles! You’re going to pay for what you’ve done to Madoka!”

Lights suddenly flash from behind the bluenette as something approaches while the two sides prepare for battle.

For this was never the tale of one Homura Akemi, nor was it about Madoka Kaname…

…No, the real story has just begun.

* * *

_TO BE CONTINUED IN… **THE DISCIPLES**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed Madoka: Separation! Things took quite a turn, huh?
> 
> This is a prelude to the real story, The Disciples, which will be coming soon. Hope you stick around for the long haul... because Magical Girls was just the beginning...
> 
> If you're looking to support and watch the Discipleverse grow, a Discord server is being created! Feel free to ask for a link!


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